We Rise
We Rise is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing youth mentorship, financial literacy, and workforce development programs to underserved youth ages 13+, using acquired vacant row houses as hands-on training sites for real estate and construction skills.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What We Rise does
We Rise is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Todd Scott, a former J.P. Morgan finance professional and real estate developer who returned to his hometown after 25+ years to address generational poverty in East Baltimore. The organization delivers a portfolio of five interconnected youth programs—the core Mentorship Program (four modules: Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Career & Character Development, Industry Sectors), the Senators Program (a two-phase workforce development initiative), the Delegates Program (serving justice-involved youth at the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services' Victor Cullen Center), the House of Representatives Program (in-school mentorship at Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School and Coppin Academy High School), and the Job Readiness Program (hands-on construction training with $20/hour stipends).
The operating model is distinctive: We Rise has acquired 10 abandoned row houses and 4 vacant lots in Baltimore's Broadway East neighborhood and uses them as the Basic Training Facility, where youth learn real estate development, construction, and financial literacy by actively rehabilitating the properties. Programs are delivered free of charge to participants at multiple sites including the We Rise Office at 1501 St. Paul St, the Victor Cullen Center in Sabillasville, and partner schools. Revenue derives from foundation grants (e.g., Foundation at Cross River, $15,000 in 2023), corporate sponsorships (Sherwin-Williams), and government/professional services partnerships (Maryland DJS).
The organization is founder-led, with a small team of approximately 1–10 staff including a Director of Community Programming, Deputy Director, Operations Consultants, and a Data Manager. The board includes Martin McCrae, who brokered the Morgan State University partnership. Recent strategic activity includes the 2025 expansion of in-school programming and the 2023 partnership with Morgan State University, though a November 2023 fire at an adjacent vacant property caused damage to a We Rise property that was 90% complete in redevelopment, representing a material operational setback.
We Rise firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- We Rise
- Legal name
- We Rise, A Non-Profit Corporation
- Website
- https://werisecommunity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- We Rise is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing youth mentorship, financial literacy, and workforce development programs to underserved youth ages 13+, using acquired vacant row houses as hands-on training sites for real estate and construction skills.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
We Rise industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Mentorship and Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)
Keywords
Where We Rise is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
We Rise business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation and Grant Funding: We Rise receives donations and grants from foundations such as Foundation at Cross River ($15,000 donation received). These funds support mentorship programs and job readiness initiatives.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial and material support to enable program operations. Current sponsors include Sherwin-Williams.
- Government Partnerships: Partnership with Maryland Department of Juvenile Services to deliver programs at their facilities, implementing the Governor's ENOUGH Initiative.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free mentorship programs for youth ages 13+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
We Rise product offering
Product offeringCore offering
We Rise is a Baltimore-based nonprofit that delivers free youth mentorship, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and job-readiness programs for participants ages 13 and older. It also acquires and redevelops abandoned row houses in the Broadway East neighborhood, converting the properties into hands-on classrooms where youth gain construction and real-estate development skills while earning paid stipends.
Product overview
We Rise is a mentorship and neighborhood revitalization program in Baltimore City focused on helping youth and families build generational wealth through financial literacy and homeownership. The organization operates as a unified program portfolio consisting of five interconnected programs: the core Mentorship Program (with four integrated modules covering Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Career and Character Development, and Industry Sectors), the Senators Program (a two-phase workforce development initiative), the Delegates Program (serving justice-involved youth), the House of Representatives Program (school-based early engagement), and the Job Readiness Program (hands-on workforce training with stipends). All programs are designed to work together to provide comprehensive support from financial education through practical job experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mentorship Program
Companies that use We Rise
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
We Rise technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
We Rise partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter SchoolcoreAll-girls charter school in Baltimore City (grades 5-8). We Rise provides weekly in-school sessions focusing on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate.
- Coppin Academy High SchoolcoreWe Rise expanded to Coppin Academy High School in summer 2025 where students receive weekly mentorship and access to workforce training programs in Park Heights.
- Morgan State UniversitycorePartnership led by Board Member Martin McCrae connects Morgan State students to work alongside We Rise mentors, supporting House of Representatives and Jr Senators program workshops.
- Park Heights RenaissancecorePartnership to implement the Governor's ENOUGH Initiative through the Senators Program in Park Heights (West Baltimore). Provides access to CC Jackson Recreation Center for classroom instruction and connects youth to workforce development opportunities.
- Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS)coreAs a partner of DJS Innovation Team, We Rise facilitates weekly mentorship and skills-building workshops at Victor Cullen Center. Focus areas include financial awareness, conflict resolution, resume building, and entrepreneurship.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
We Rise competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit building affordable housing through volunteer labor and homebuyer partnership; shares We Rise's acquisition-and-rehab model in distressed neighborhoods and homeownership-pathway mission.
- YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit combining construction workforce training, education, and leadership development for opportunity youth ages 16-24. Closest analog to We Rise's blend of youth mentorship with hands-on real estate/construction redevelopment.
- Rebuilding Together: National nonprofit rehabilitating homes for low-income homeowners, similar property-revitalization mission in distressed neighborhoods and reliance on corporate sponsors like Sherwin-Williams.
- Per Scholas: Nonprofit providing tuition-free technology and professional skills training to adults from underserved communities. Comparable on tuition-free workforce training with employer-aligned outcomes.
- Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing young adults with training, internships, and corporate partnerships across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable on youth workforce, financial literacy, and corporate sponsor engagement model.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Long-standing youth mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk youth through one-to-one and group mentoring. Most direct analog to We Rise's core mentorship model and youth development outcomes.
- NPower: Nonprofit creating pathways to technology careers for young adults from underserved communities. Closely comparable on youth workforce development model with corporate employer partnerships.
Emerging players
- Bottom Line: Nonprofit providing career advising and financial aid guidance to first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable on financial literacy and college-to-career outcomes focus.
- i.c.stars: Workforce development nonprofit training low-income young adults in technology and leadership through an immersive stipend-based apprenticeship model. Comparable paid-stipend apprenticeship approach.
Broad incumbents
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth development nonprofit offering mentoring, education, and career programming. Comparable on multi-module youth development curriculum and after-school delivery model, but at much larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
We Rise social profiles
Digital presenceWe Rise financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
We Rise leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
We Rise funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
We Rise M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about We Rise
What does We Rise do?
We Rise is a Baltimore-based nonprofit that delivers free youth mentorship, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and job-readiness programs for participants ages 13 and older. It also acquires and redevelops abandoned row houses in the Broadway East neighborhood, converting the properties into hands-on classrooms where youth gain construction and real-estate development skills while earning paid stipends.
Is We Rise a public or private company?
We Rise is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was We Rise founded?
We Rise was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is We Rise based?
We Rise is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does We Rise make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and government Partnerships.
Who are We Rise's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Habitat for Humanity International, YouthBuild USA, Rebuilding Together, Per Scholas, Year Up, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and NPower. Emerging players are Bottom Line and i.c.stars. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does We Rise have an API?
No public API is recorded for We Rise.
What industry is We Rise in?
We Rise's product category is Youth Mentorship and Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAF, Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611.